Routing mechanism for networks with separate upstream and downstream traffic

Abstract

What is disclosed is a method having the first step of receiving, on a routing manager port address, a set of accounting request packets from a network access server having a network access server port address. Then, parsing the accounting request packet to derive a command flag and forwarding the set of accounting request packets to an authentication server, having an authentication server port address, over the authentication server port address. The method includes the further step of generating a set of routing table modification commands for a network router based on the command flag. What is also disclosed is an apparatus having a network access server, an authentication server coupled to the network access server, and a routing manager coupled to the network access server and the authentication server. The network access server has a network access server port address, the authentication server has an authentication server port address, and the routing manager has a routing manager port address. The routing manager is configured to: (1) receive, on the routing manager port address, a set of accounting request packets from the network access server port address; (2) parse the accounting request packet to derive a command flag; (3) forward the set of accounting request packets and to the authentication server port address; and (4) generate a set of routing table modification commands for a network router based on the command flag.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus comprising: 
       a network access server to receive upstream packets from a client, the server having a network access server port address;  
       an authentication server having an authentication server port address coupled to said network access server;  
       a routing manager having a routing manager port address coupled to said network access server and said authentication server;  
       wherein said routing manager is configured to: (1) receive, on said routing manager port address, a set of accounting request packets from said network access server port address; (2) parse said accounting request packet to derive a command flag; (3) forward said set of accounting request packets to said authentication server port address; and (4) generate a set of routing table modification commands for a network router based on said command flag, the network router to route downstream packets to the client.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said network access server is to communicate with the client and receive authentication information from said client. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein said network access server is to send a set of authentication packets to said authentication server on said authentication server port address, said set of authentication packets containing said received authentication information. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim  3 , wherein said authentication server is configured to respond to said set of authentication packets by sending a second set of authentication packets to said network access server based on said received authentication information. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein said received authentication information contains an address of a network adapter of said client, the address and an Internet protocol (IP) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network router. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said command flag is a “START” command, and said set of routing table modification commands enters an entry in a routing table of said network router. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim  2  wherein said authentication information includes a media access control (MAC) address of said client, the MAC address and an Internet protocol (P) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network router. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein said command flag is a “STOP” command, and said set of routing table modification commands removes an entry in a routing table of said network router. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim  1  wherein the upstream packets are to be received from the client only using a dial-up connection, and the downstream packets are to be delivered to the client only using a network adapter connection. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim  1  wherein the network access server is not to deliver downstream packets to the client. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising: 
       receiving, on a routing manager port address, a set of accounting request packets from a network access server having a network access server port address, the network access server to receive upstream packets from a client;  
       parsing said accounting request packet to derive a command flag;  
       forwarding said set of accounting request packets to an authentication server having an authentication server port address; and  
       generating a set of routing table modification commands for a network router based on said command flag, the network router to route downstream packets to the client.  
     
     
       12. The method of claim  11 , further comprising the step of communicating with a client to receive authentication information from said client. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  12 , further comprising sending a set of authentication packets to said authentication server on said authentication server port address, said set of authentication packets containing said received authentication information. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim  13 , further comprising responding to said set of authentication packets by sending a second set of authentication packets to said network access server based on said received authentication information. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim  12 , wherein said received authentication information contains an address of a network adapter of said client, the address and an Internet protocol (IP) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network adapter. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim  12  wherein said authentication information includes a media access control (MAC) address of said client, the MAC address and an Internet protocol (IP) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network adapter. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim  11 , further comprising removing an entry in a routing table of said network router if said command flag is a “STOP” command. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim  11 , further comprising entering an entry in a routing table of said network router if said command flag is a “START” command. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim  11  wherein the upstream packets are to be received from the client only using a dial-up connection, and the downstream packets are to be delivered to the client only using a network adapter connection. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim  11  wherein the set of accounting packets are received from a network access server that is further configured not to deliver downstream packets to the client. 
     
     
       21. An article of manufacture comprising: 
       a machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein which, when executed by a set of processors, cause:  
       receiving, on a routing manager port address, a set of accounting request packets from a network access server having a network access server port address, the network access server to receive upstream packets from a client;  
       parsing said accounting request packet to derive a command flag;  
       forwarding said set of accounting request packets to an authentication server having an authentication server port address; and  
       generating a set of routing table modification commands for a network router based on said command flag, the network router to route downstream packets to the client.  
     
     
       22. The article of manufacture of claim  21  wherein the machine-readable medium has further instructions that cause communicating with a client to receive authentication information from said client. 
     
     
       23. The article of manufacture of claim  22  wherein the machine readable medium has further instructions that cause sending a set of authentication packets to said authentication server on said authentication server port address, said set of authentication packets containing said received authentication information. 
     
     
       24. The article of manufacture of claim  23  wherein the machine readable medium has further instructions that cause responding to said set of authentication packets by sending a second set of authentication packets to said network access server based on said received authentication information. 
     
     
       25. The article of manufacture of claim  22  wherein said authentication information includes a media access control (MAC) address of said client, the MAC address and an Internet protocol (IP) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network adapter. 
     
     
       26. The article of manufacture of claim  22  wherein said received authentication information contains an address of a network adapter of said client, the address and an Internet protocol (IP) address of the client being received by the routing manager in said accounting request packets and provided to the network router, so that the IP address of the client is associated with the network adapter address in an entry of a routing table of the network adapter.